Sat Apr 19 02:59:42 UTC 2025: **Madurai Court Orders Expansion of Bone Marrow Transplant Facilities in Tamil Nadu**
Madurai, Tamil Nadu – The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has ordered the expansion of bone marrow transplant (BMT) facilities across Tamil Nadu, ruling that at least one government hospital in each district must offer the procedure. Currently, only two government hospitals in Chennai provide free BMT, creating significant access barriers for residents in more remote areas.
The ruling comes in response to two public interest litigation petitions highlighting the high cost of BMT in private hospitals, placing it out of reach for many low-income families. While the Chief Minister’s Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme covers BMT, the limited availability of free procedures forces patients to travel long distances to Chennai.
The court has directed the Tamil Nadu government to allocate funds within three months to establish a BMT facility at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai, with the facility operational within six months of funding allocation. Furthermore, the court instructed the Health Secretary to review and respond within three months to a petition proposing guidelines for medical and infrastructural standards in government hospitals. The court emphasized the need to address the lack of access to crucial medical procedures for underprivileged communities in more remote districts.
First Piper 